Patmos. The history of the kingdom of heaven, the true church of Christ

Front matter

Shelf. .ISt-^^^^"

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

THE HISTORY

Preface

THIS History, as an exegetical and literary production, is sent forth without any distinguished name, to stand or fall by its own merits. If it be true it will stand forever; if not true, it will naturally sink into oblivion.

The Author.

Introduction

|ATMOS is a work that consists of an exegetical

I interpretation of the Revelations by St. John the Divine. It is, perhaps, the most elaborate and particularized application and explanation of every figure and symbol named in this closing and wonderful book of the New Testament ever written, exceeding in detail of elaboration the "Apocalypse Revealed'' by Emanuel Swedenborg.

As an exegetical effort there is no question but a warp of harmonious consistency runs through its interpretations from beginning to end. This is its most difficult phase, and what would almost seem an impossibility to the average biblical student, considering the diversified forms of allegory and symbol employed by the Revelator. But, no difference whether the figures relate to the lamps, angels, seals, vials, trumpets or what not, the explanations never fail to agree with reason, and to weave in naturally and symmetrically as an unbroken concatenation, harmonizing every event

INTRODUCTION.

intended to be set forth with both the spiritual imagery represented and the prophetic temporal incidents foreshadowed.

Besides the exegetical and historical phases of the work, its literary character is of a very high order, showing the author to be a man of extended historic research and general reading, as well as possessing a command of classical English only possible in one thoroughly educated.

We believe that biblical students, especially ministers, would find the book a valuable accession to their libraries. If we mistake not, the profoundest commentators on this portion of the New Testament will, after reading Patmos carefully through, be forced to admit that Mr. McGregor has opened up many things in the Book of Revelation never dreamt of in their religious philosophies. — Extract taken from an advance review by A, Wilford Hall, Ph.D., LL.D., Editor of the Microcosm.

Index

ALPHA.

Paragraph 1,

PAGE.

Hypothetical Statement and Inferences — The objects of John's visions — Contain the thoughts of God . . .13

What is revealed by the visions? — The principles of interpretation disclosed ... 16

Problems to be solved: What is the agent that is the counterpart of the toison? — What is its historical reality? . . 22

Application of the principles of analogy to tolsons promiscuously selected 26

BETA.

Paragraph 1.

Patmos, General statement of — John saw and heard the crowning event of the history stated — John in Solomon's temple — The Son of Man gives John the key or principle of analogy — John in the doorway of the vision — heaven • 32

Polycarp interpreting John's visions to his congregation . 40

INDEX.

GAMMA.

PAGE.

Description of tlie apostolic ministry 44

Description of the schismatics • . . . , . ,48

Rise and progress of ambition — Description of the leaders . 62

The so-called Christian leaders as persecutors . . . .67

DELTA.

Paragraph 1.

The martyrs and their avengement 62

The fruits gathered for heaven — The 144,000 — The numberless multitude — The dissenters — Christ's Kingdom distinct from the church organization ..... 68

EPSILON.

Paragraph 1.

The providential judgments on the persecuting power of Church and State — Subversion of the Western Roman Empire • 78

Eastern Roman Empire overrun by the Mohammedans — The hierarchist persecutors of dissenters destroyed • . .83

Subversion of the Eastern Roman Empire by the Tartar tribes — Seljukians, Moguls, Ottomans — Islamism installed in the stead of the Christian hierarchy . , .94

INi>£X.

ZETA.

Paragraph 1.

PAGE.

The new preaching of the gospel by Martin Luther and others 101 Paragraph 2.

State of the Kingdom of Heaven spiritually and organically — Destruction of the heretics by the hierarchy aided by the civil powers — Defection from the hierarchy • . . 104

ETA.

Paragraph 1.

Anticipations of the future . . . • . • . •117

A view of the Christian societies as they were originally constituted — Their connection with the government of the Roman Empire — Their relation to Paganism — Tendency to centralization — Organization of Church and State . . 120

The rise, development and character of the Roman Empire — The origin of the governments of Europe succeeding the Roman Empire — Their persecution of dissenters . . 129

THETA.

Paragraph 1.

The origin and development of the Roman Catholic hierarchy — Its relation to the Kingdom of Heaven 137

The dark ages for the Kingdom of Heaven . , , .148

IOTA.

Cursory review — General preaching of the gospel by heretics" — Predictions against the great ecclesiastical persecutor — Aims of dissenting heretics to destroy the universal hierarchy . . • • . . • . .151

INDEX.

PAGE.

The effect of the preaching of the gospel upon civil communities •••••••• • • 157

KAPPA.

Paragraph 1.

Cursory review — Prediction of the annihilation of the persecuting powers embracing the civil and ecclesiastical governments — The first judgment upon the hierarchists — The alienation of the civil" governments from the hierarchy — Deprived of revenues — The heads of government turned against the hierarchy — The French Revolution and the destruction of the French persecuting power — The spirit of liberty extending to other nations — Providential preparations for the utter annihilation of the Roman Catholic hierarchy — Victor Immanuel reduces the hierarchy to a simple church organization — Survey of the field of history — The work yet to be done — New agencies to attempt to destroy the Kingdom of Heaven — Scientific infidels, Anarchists, Jesuits — The final struggle — Breaking up the nationalized hierarchies 160

LAMBDA.

Paragraph 1.

Explanation of the toisons 187

The fall of the Roman Catholic hierarchy described • • 195

MU.

Review — Christ personally closes the last scenes in the struggle with the enemies of his Kingdom — The spiritual agencies with him — Their co-workers, the human agencies, described — The character of the opposition — The United States a factor 205

INDEX.

NU.

PAGE.

How persecution was first inaugurated in the Church and State — The destiny of Paganism — The thousand years or Millennial period 222

The Evangelical leaders indorsed by the whole world — The Millennial period inaugurated — The character of the agencies that appear on the field of operations — Apostolic times reappear — The Kingdom of Heaven triumphant over mankind — Satan, the spirit of all evil, reappears, and with his adherents is destroyed — PauPs description of these characters and times — These characters John's anti-Christs — The character of the Millennial period 226

OMICRON.

Paragraph 1.

The Second Advent and its attendant events — The Martyr Saints a distinct community in the new world — The world restored to its original relation to the government of God — Description of the community of the Martyr Saints — Description of the new world ....... 240

PI.

Conclasion • • • . • • • 259

The probabilities that the seven churches of Asia understood the method of interpreting the Apocalypse . . . .262

PAT M OS.

ALPHA.

PARAGRAPH i.

"^Jj^SSUM for the present, that the Apocalypse is a revelation from the Divine Being, addressed to the understanding and heart of man, we infer that it is understandable and appreciable by him.

If the revelation is not made in any medium of communication of thought known to human literature, the principles of its interpretation must have been disclosed and developed in the body of the book itself or else in some other communication made by the Divine Being or both. The fact that no interpretation, reached by any principles of human literature, has been satisfactory to the practical understanding of man, suggests the search for other principles. The nature of the method of communication will first in order claim our attention. It is narrated that on opening the first seal, John in vision heard a voice saying. Come. He saw coming a man on a white horse, equipped with a bow, to whom a crown was given, and subsequently going forth conquering and to conquer. The divine thought here communicated, is evidently not in the words themselves, for, when understood, they simply bring to the

PATMOS.

mind for contemplation various objects of thought as a horse of a certain color, a man belonging to a certain department of human life, riding the horse, bearing the implement belonging to that department, treated and acting characteristically of it. Depending upon the language for the divine thought we are left in the darkness where it found us. Then if there be any revelation made at all it must be found in the agents, objects and actions which the language describes. Upon opening the second seal, in the sight of John, there went out another horse that was red ; and power was given him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth ; and that they should kill one another; and there was given unto him a great sword. Here again the divine thought must be found, if at all, in the description given us by the language, agents, objects, character and actions ; as the horse, the rider, his prerogative and actions, the sword and its presentation to the rider. For interpreting the words and sentences according to the established principles of human language the contents of the description only are presented to us for contemplation, and no divine thought is disclosed to us by them. The consequences of opening all the seals are like phenomena ; human language describing specified agents, objects, actions, and characteristics ; and unless contained in the things described we have no revelation at all.

John, in vision, stood upon the sand of the sea and saw a beast rise up and out of the sea having seven heads and ten horns and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. He gives us a description of the characteristics of the beast, its actions, and the length of the time of its career. Following upon this he gives us a description of another beast rising out of the earth, his characteristics, and actions in detail. Besides these descriptions we have nothing in the 13th chapter ; and if the revelation from the Divine Being is not contained in the objects disclosed, then we have no revelation at all. The entire Apocalypse is made up of similar descriptions with few exceptional parts. There is the woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars. Her description occupies the I2th chapter; a description of Babylon and the woman sitting on the scarlet colored beast embraces two or more chapters; the scenes of the first resurrection, of the millennium and of the second advent, comprehend a large proportion of the last part of the book. Assuming that the Apocalypse as a whole embraces events and truths revealed from God they must be discovered in the agents, and scenes which John heard and saw in vision, and of which he has given us a description. But this is a mode of communicating intelligence unknown to human literature. No human writer has ever attempted the experiment of communicating his ideas by describing a scene in real or imaginary life between which and his ideas there is no conventional connection whereby the reader may intelligently read his production. Besides literal words, writers often use figurative illustrations of already known facts and truths. Sometimes emblems, symbols and hieroglyphics are used to convey thought or facts ; but always there is a meaning agreed upon by the writer and the reader between the real and representative objects,

PATMOS.

SO that the former may be readily determined by the latter ; but in the Apocalypse there is no knowledge on the part of the reader of the divine meaning of the agents and objects which the Revelator has put upon them in using them to communicate his thoughts. That is the very problem that needs solution. The principles of human methods of communicating intelligence can not aid us in interpreting the Apocalypse. Now if we discover in the communications, purporting to be made to man by the Divine Being, principles which, when applied to the representative objects of the Apocalypse, unfold their meaning so that when compared with the reality in actual history which those objects beforehand purported to reveal ; and there is a fitness between the two that strikes the mind with the force of a mathematical demonstration, the inference will be inevitable that the Apocalypse is a revelation from God. If we should go further, and, by the application of the same principles determine that specified scenes of the Apocalypse indicate certain future events in human affairs, and when the events occur the reality is found to be a rational counterpart of the representative scene, we shall be convinced in our conclusions that the Apocalypse is a divine prediction of human events, and hence the word ot God.

Are there any principles disclosed in the Apocalypse itself, and in other parts of the sacred writings, that will enable us to interpret the visions of the Revelations made to John? But, before proceeding to look after these principles, we will determine what the Apocalypse purports to reveal. This is stated in the introduction. " The Revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave unto him to show unto his servants things which must shortlycome to pass." These things, in other words, are events in some department of the world's history.

John was also directed to write the things which he had seen and the things which were then transpiring, and the things which should be thereafter. This embraces events that came into existence under John's observation, up to the time of the vision ; the events that were passing from that date onward to his writing ; and events that should transpire in the future. The department of history in which these events were to occur is also determined. What thou seest write in a book, and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia. *' The churches of Asia were interested in the events to be revealed, and therefore they embraced the past, the present, and the future history of the institution which Jesus denominated the Kingdom of Heaven. Then the vision scene described in the Apocalypse must be representative of scenes actually occurring in the Kingdom of Heaven. The latter must be the counterpart of the former. That being true, there must be such a connection between them, that, the former being given, they can be naturally traced to the latter.

In the book of Daniel we have visions very similar to those now under consideration. Revelations by the Divine Being are made by the use of agents, objects, actions, relations and characteristics to Daniel. He wrote in a book what he heard and saw. Humao language is

PATMOS.

used simply to describe the objects and scenes of the vision. We cannot predict of this revelation a literal or figurative character — as it is not made in language — for example: Daniel saw in vision four great beasts come up out of the sea. Of three he gives us a general description, their characteristics, appearances, doings and their relation to other beasts with which they came in contact. Of the fourth beast his description is more particular and in detail. '*It was dreadful and terrible and strong exceedingly and it had great iron teeth. It devoured and break in pieces and stamped the residue with the feet of it ; and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns. I considered the horns and behold there came up among them another little horn before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots ; and behold in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man and a mouth speaking great things. At a glance it seems that the mode here of communicating the divine thought is identical with that in the Apocalypse. If it be a revelation the objects of the description contain it. The agents and objects of the vision are representative of historical realities. The latter are a counterpart of the former. But we are not left in doubt about it, for we have the interpretation of the subject-matter of the visions given. **The four beasts are four Kingdoms which shall arise out of the earth. This shows us that the divine thought is conveyed to us through the use of the beasts.

The interpreter proceeds : The fourth beast shall be the fourth Kingdom upon earth which shall be diverse from all Kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down and break it in pieces ; and the ten horns are ten Kingdoms that shall arise ; and another shall rise after them, and it shall be diverse from the first, and it shall subdue three Kingdoms; and it shall speak words against the Most High and think to change times and laws. This interpretation assures us that the objects and scenes in DanieFs vision embrace whatever revelation there is. So in the Apocalypse the objects and scenes in John's vision embrace whatever revelation there is in it. And the latter being of the same nature as a medium of communicating the divine will as the former, the principles applied to the interpretation of the one will enable us to discover the meaning of the other. But in the i/th chapter of the Apocalpyse we have the interpretation given of some of the objects and scenes of John's vision, which apparently proceeds upon the same principles as those applied to Daniel's vision. Says the interpreter : " I will tell thee the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carrieth her which hath seven heads and ten horns : The beast that thou sawest was and is not . . . and yet is. There are seven Kings ; five are fallen, one is, and the other is not yet come ; even* it is the eighth and is of the seventh ; and the ten horns . . . are ten Kings which have received no Kingdom as yet. These shall make war with the Lamb and the Lamb shall overcome them. The seven heads are seven mountains where the woman sitteth. The waters . . . where the harlot sitteth are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues. And the ten horns . . . (Kings) shall hate the harlot and shall make her desolate

PATMOS.

and naked and shall eat her flesh and burn her with fire. And the woman which thou sawest is that great city which reigneth over the Kings of the earth. Thus it is apparent that the principle that makes the beast of John*s vision a Kingdom is the same that discloses a Kingdom under the form of a beast in Daniel's vision ; and so of the rest. An analysis of these interpretations respectively must give us the principles upon which they proceed ; principles that are uniform in their nature and applicable to all like visions, objects and scenes; just as the rules of rhetoric are applicable to all figurative language. The first fact noticeable in the interpretations is that the vision object is the equivalent of the real object which it represents. That is : The rider on the white horse, under the first seal, is in his sphere what his counterpart reality is in his sphere. So that agent answers to agent, action to action, relations to relations and characteristics to characteristics. The fourth beast of Daniel's vision being the equivalent in its sphere of the fourth Kingdom that should arise on earth,in its sphere, the nature of the relations and actions of the former supply data for reasoning analogically to the character, relations and acts of the latter. If the beast was different from all other beasts ; if it was dreadful and terrible ; if it devoured and break in pieces and stamped the residue with its feet ; and had ten horns; then the fourth Kingdom would be essentially different in its constitution and polity from all the other Kingdoms. It could make the conquest of all the world ; obliterate all the existing governments ; bring the nations under its rule ; and originate ten new Kingdoms out of itself. If the scarlet colored beast of John's vision, was in its sphere the equivalent of a civil government ; and the woman which it carried was the equivalent of a civil organization like a city, in their spheres respectively, then the seven heads and ten horns and names of blasphemy furnish data or premises for an analogical inference that the civil government was one that had passed through seven constitutional forms in its history, and was eventually constituted into ten new and distinct governments. Also the carriage of the woman on a head of the beast, which it controlled, gorgeously arrayed; carrying in her hand a golden cupful of a destructive beverage; drunk with the blood of saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus; gives us premises for the analogical inference that her counterpart civil organization was maintained by the government ; and controlled it ; derived its wealth and power from it and corrupted its social and moral principles; moreover, it persecuted the followers of Christ.

Because the vision-agent is the equivalent of its counterpart-reality it may, for brevity in reference, be denominated a toiso7i (Gr. ro lao^J), The connecting link between the toison and its counterpart is analogy." Analogy implies that the toison and its counterpart belong to different spheres respectively. When the counterpart-agent becomes known, we reason analogically from particulars of the toison in its sphere to the particulars of the counterpart-agent in its sphere.

PATMOS.

The main problem to be solved, in the interpretation of the Apocalyptic visions, is : What is the agent that is the counterpart of its toison ? What does the rider on the white horse ; the woman clothed with the sun; the scarlet colored beast ; the woman riding on the scarlet colored beast represent respectively in literal language ? Knowing the leading counterpart-agent, object, or character, it would not be difficult to determine other data incident to them. For example : Knowing that the seven golden lampstands (Rev. ist ch.) represent the seven churches of Asia ; the seven lamps their seven ministers ; one like unto the Son of Man in the midst of the lampstands, the Lord Jesus ; their relations and functions as church, minister, and Lord, are readily discovered. The lampstands hold the lamps ; the lamps give light and the man in their midst keeps the lamps supplied with oil, trimmed and burning. So the churches maintain the ministers ; the ministers preach the gospel ; and the Lord gives them the Holy Spirit. Knowing that the woman clothed with the sun is the toison of the primitive Christian church organization down to the era of Constantine the Great, the particulars incident to its history are readily traceable from the particulars given under the main toison. Knowing that the scarlet colored beast is the toison of a civil dynasty, the acts, characteristics and relation to other civil organizations of the latter are readily inferred from the analogical premises of its toison.

Since the Apocalypse is a prophecy relating to the

THE HISTOIIY OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. 23

religious institution established by the Lord Jesus and denominated by Him the Kingdom of heaven, in its relation to the civil and other organizations in time, generally its toisons are all traceable to it, and we look there for their counterparts. But we need the principle by which we can connect a particular toison with its particular counterpart. We have this formula : given the toison to find its counterpart-reality. It will have been noticed that in the interpretations already given, toisons drawn from the animal sphere find their counterparts in the civil department of life ; as the beasts of Daniel's and John's visions. Toisons in civil life are traced to their counterpart in the religious sphere ; as the man among the golden lamps by necessary inference represents the Head of the seven churches, the Lord Jesus. As also the distinguished character in Daniel, described as one like the Son of Man arrayed in a cloud of glory, to whom was given glory and a kingdom, is made the toison of the saints who were to be ultimately triumphant over all the persecuting powers, and have the dominion of the world. Relying on this gradation of toisons in relation to their counterparts from a lower to the next higher sphere, as uniform we have the principle : That a toison drawn from the physical or animal sphere represents objects in civil or military life ; and toisons drawn from military and civil life represent agents and objects in the religious life; or to state the principle abstractly: A toison of a given sphere must be traced to its counterpart in the sphere next higher than it.

Another fact is noticeable in these interpretations.

rATMOS.

A single toisonic agent may represent a class or succession of agents in the reality ; as one beast stands for an entire dynasty of civil rulers ; and the one like the son of man stands for an entire class of saints. According to this principle, a military character, riding his white, red, black, or green horse, is the toison of a class of leaders in the religious life. The woman clothed with the sun is the toison of a body of religious persons. The woman riding the scarlet colored beast is the toison of a religious organization as a whole.

A further problem presented for solution is : When the counterpart of the toison is determined in language what is its historical reality ? What kingdom in history is referred to by the beast with seven heads and ten horns? What Christian leaders are referred to in^the military character on the white horse? What religious organization is represented by the woman clothed with the sun ? and also the woman riding the scarlet colored beast? That problem is simple enough ; for having a full description of the counterpart of the toison in language we simply go into history and match it by inference. For illustration : We have a religious organization given us whose principles have so taken hold of the hearts of mankind that its adherents are found predominant in every department of the civil government. The supreme ruler is dependent on them for his maintenance in power; success in his military projects and promotion of beneficent government. He, himself, finds it to be for his interests to protect and foster the organization. He selects from its pale his chief subordinates in authority, and the long catalogue of ofificials who attend to the details of his administration. The civil government, however, has been intimately connected, constitutionally, from time immemorial, with a form of religion in utter antagonism to this religious organization. But the latter has been steadily operating to secure a supreme ruler in the civil government as an adherent in heart and profession of its own principles. At length it is successful. The consequence is the old state religion is abolished and that of the successful organization adopted and becomes itself the state religion. Thereupon a new religious organization is inaugurated of which the supreme ruler is the head, while the former gradually becomes obsolete and disappears from public view. Any student of church history will readily perceive the likeness of the Church of Christ and Roman Government in the time of Constantine the Great, to this description. This description is the result of converting the toisonic-particulars, incident to the woman clothed with the sun, into language. Take another illustration: A military hero of exalted distinction is given us. He is eminently successful in all his campaigns. Conquest after conquest is made. A proud and grateful country demand that he shall be called home to their capital city, and personally receive their gratulations in a pageant of triumph, and be crowned with immortal honors. The grand fete ended he returns to his invincible legions to make new conquests and extend the limits of his country. Who of the leaders in the kingdom of heaven or the Christian religion in its earliest days answer to this description ?

PATMOS.

Who more successful in promoting the Christian religion; more distinguished as preachers, teachers and writers of divine truth; more lauded by all Christian people for their virtues and successes; and who more indefatigable in carrying the gospel to unknown lands, than the Apostles of Jesus? As Julius Caesar was the most successful military leader and conqueror in old Rome, so Peter, James, John and Paul have no compeers in the history of Christianity in glorious prestige and successful work. With these general principles of interpretation we may approach the visions of the Apocalypse with some hopes of discovering the divine revelation communicated in them.

We now propose to apply the principles of interpretation, discovered in the communications given us by the Divine Being, to portions of the visions of the Apocalypse, promiscuously selected. The toisons under the fourth seal are : The rider on the pale horse ; his name Death; Hades following him; power given to him and Hades over the fourth part of the earth ; the earth; to kill; the sword; hunger; death; and wild beasts of the earth.

This personage was no ordinary military character, not so conspicuously honored among the people as he who rode the white horse, but yet he attracted attention, and inspired dismay, as the color of his horse would indicate. He was a grand hero who advanc ed at the head of his army on a white charger. He was a tyrant that rode the pale or green horse. His name